


I Just Need to Breathe

by skymageariel



Category: The Dragon Prince
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:34:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26017348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skymageariel/pseuds/skymageariel
Summary: hi! thanks for reading <3
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	I Just Need to Breathe

He dreamed of the battle.

Above him were clear skies. Warm air surrounded him, a slight humidity clung to the sweat on the nape of his neck. He could hear the battle below him- swords clashing, shields and weapons colliding in a spark, cries and shouts of the humans, elves, and monsters fighting alone. It was mere minutes before the monsters might reach him. His job was to hold the line.

All he had to do was hold the line.

Digging his toe in the dirt behind him, gritting his teeth in a menace, determination and adrenaline flowing through his veins, Callum readied himself for the first soldier to arrive. Breathing raggedly, he waited, blood pounding through his ears. 

A hand appeared at the edge. It was made of rock. Of magma. Made of nothing Callum had ever seen before. It pulled itself up, revealing a grotesque figure of molten rock and ash.

_ Fulminis! _

The creature went tumbling over the edge, never to be seen again. 

Callum ignored the sinking feeling in his stomach. He ignored the shock of his first kill, and ignored the anxiety that came from knowing it wouldn’t be his last as more hands appeared at the edge, pulling themselves up onto the platform where he stood. 

Dragging his fingers through the air, Callum prepared the incantation again.

_ Fulminis!  _ he cried, pushing some monsters over the edge.  _ Fulminis!  _ he barked, sending as many as he could careening into the valley below. His arms grew heavy with every spell he cast. With every monster that died at his hand, his body gave up a little more. Exhaustion soon kicked in with every crash of lightning he sent through the air. He was guilty. He was no longer innocent. He’d killed. Callum was a killer. Callum was a killer and he did not deserve to see the end of this battle. 

All too quickly, a figure launched itself over the side, lunging at him. The monster grabbed him by the neck and pulled him into the air. Callum clawed at the hand around his throat, sputtering and trying to draw breath, but unable.

His vision started to blur, his eyes water. He couldn’t breathe, he was breathless, he was dying. 

He pulled at the hand around his neck, growing weaker with each tug. The blood pounding in his ears made it impossible for Callum to hear anything else. His vision was almost gone. His arms stopped working, and he accepted that this was what he deserved. 

The last thing he saw was the monster’s fist coming at him with full speed, and no hesitation. 

  
  


Callum gasped, waking up with a start. He sat up, clawing at his own neck, trying to scratch away the feeling of a hand around his throat. Each breath was laborious, like his body wouldn’t let him draw air.

He was trembling, shaking, eyes wide in terror as he remembered the dream he’d woken from. 

Around him, the darkened room came into focus. He was at home, in his room, on the floor while Rayla slept on the bed beside him. 

He was home. He was okay.

_ You have to remember to breathe,  _ he heard in his mind. After a moment, his hands relaxed, falling into his lap. Callum hung his head, closed his eyes, and took

one

long

breath. 

His shoulders relaxed, and his shaking calmed. Glancing around his room, Callum grounded himself, counting the drawings on his walls, trying to pick out the colors of his blanket.

Listening to Rayla’s steady breathing next to him, Callum reminded himself that  _ it’s just a dream. It was only a dream. I just have to breathe.  _

**Author's Note:**

> hi! thanks for reading <3


End file.
